Enhance Immune System Response Through Humidification

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Benefits

A relative humidity of 40 to 60% supports the human immune system and protects the respiratory tract from infections.

Less absenteeism

Employees are less likely to become infected and remain healthy.

Increased productivity

Higher performance and fewer absences reduce costs.

Employer of choice

Workplace health promotion makes employers attractive.

Strengthening the immune system through humidification

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Mucous membranes need humidity

In the respiratory tract, the mucous membranes protect us from infections thanks to their self-cleaning function. In order for them to perform their protective function reliably, they need sufficient humidity. The mucous membranes have fine cilia on their surface, which move freely in a thin secretion (sol layer). Above this is a sticky gel layer to which most of the inhaled viruses, bacteria and air pollutants adhere. As long as the cilia can move freely, they transport the mucus together with the microorganisms towards the larynx, where it can be swallowed or coughed up. Studies show that the highest transport speed and thus the lowest risk of infection is achieved at around 45% relative humidity. A constant humidity between 40 and 60% is therefore essential for healthy mucous membranes and an effective protection system against viruses and bacteria.

Humidity increases immune defence

The right level of humidity indoors is a crucial factor for the immune system. Dry air weakens the body's natural defence mechanisms: as humidity decreases, the removal of pathogens becomes less effective. Low humidity causes water to be drawn from the mucus layer. The cilia become increasingly suppressed and lose their mobility. The increasing viscosity of the mucous membranes leads to a blockage of mucus flow and the risk of infection by viruses penetrating the mucous membrane cells increases. If the relative humidity drops to 20%, the self-cleaning process comes to a complete standstill. The highest transport speed and thus the best immune defence is achieved at 45% relative humidity.

Protecting the respiratory tract

Optimal humidity is key to protecting the mucous membranes from harmful influences. Air that is too dry not only blocks mucus flow, but also triggers two additional mechanisms that directly affect the immune system and disable our natural innate immunity. On the one hand, inhaling dry air damages the epithelial cells and impairs the repair of the respiratory epithelium (lung cells). These cells form a physical barrier beneath the mucus layer that prevents viruses from entering the host cell. Secondly, low air humidity can reduce the formation of interferon in the lung tissue. As messenger substances, interferons trigger the production of proteins (antiviral genes) that fight invading viruses and thus stop the virus from multiplying. The result is increased susceptibility to infections and reduced regenerative capacity of the mucous membranes.

Humidity to support the immune system is beneficial in many industries and applications

Humidity control in the aerospace Industry

Data Centres

Warehousing and logistics

Composites, Carbon fibres and Plastics

Swimming Pool

Humidity control for call centres

Gyms and fitness facilities

Humidity control for hospitals and healthcare

Hot yoga studios

Humidity control in office environments

Residential Homes humidification and humidity control

Schools and daycares (nurseries)

Senior Living

Discover Condair in action

Projects and references

ADAC Center, Munich

In March 2012, ADAC™s new headquarters officially opened for business after six years of construction. Since December 2011, the office has been home to some 2,400 employees in over 100 professions, who were previously spread out across seven different locations. Bringing them all together in one place will encourage innovative ways of working, improve the speed of business processes, and simplify member services.

ADAC Center, Germany

Allianz-Arena, Munich

The Allianz Arena was one of the most controversial construction projects, even prompting a public vote by Munich citizens. It has since become a central landmark in northern Munich and an architectural symbol of the city. Particularly striking is the translucent, diamond-shaped outer shell, which can glow in different colors.

Using projectors and asymmetrical parabolic mirrors developed specifically for the Allianz Arena, the diamonds can be illuminated in different colors depending on the club's colors. The stadium is around 50 meters high, 200 meters long, and can accommodate 66,000 spectators. Condair RS steam humidifiers ensure optimum humidity levels.

Allianz-Arena, Munich - Germany

JURA Kommunikations-Center, Nürnberg (Germany)

JURA Elektrogeräte Vertriebs-GmbH has been located in Nuremberg since 1987. 362 days a year, 30 employees are available in shifts for end customers and specialist dealers and advise and support them on all questions about fully automatic Jura machines and accessories.

JURA, Nuremberg -Germany

Robert Koch-Institut, Berlin (Germany)

The Robert Koch Institute (RKI) is a federal institute within the portfolio of the Federal Ministry of Health. In 2016, the RKI moved into a new four-storey laboratory and office building with an area of around 60,000 m2. There, for example, influenza experts from the RKI prepare weekly situation reports, examine which flu viruses are circulating and check the effectiveness of flu vaccinations.

Robert Koch-Institut, Berlin, Germany

Laverana GmbH&Co. KG, Hannover (Germany)

In the converted Laverana headquarters of the natural cosmetics manufacturer, it is shown how optimal air humidity and the natural materials used in the building can ensure a very special feel-good climate.

Laverana, Hannover - Germany

Jungheinrich Service&Parts AG&Co. KG, Kaltenkirchen (Germany)

In order to optimally meet the air quality requirements in the open-plan office worlds, Jungheinrich is using an additional direct room air humidification system at the Kaltenkirchen spare parts centre. The result is a high level of employee satisfaction and more health protection.

Jungheinrich, Kaltenkirchen - Germany

Albrecht Dürer Airport, Nürnberg (Germany)

Since 2019, direct room air humidification in the area of the security control area of Nuremberg Airport has ensured a consistently optimal humidity of 40 percent. The system, which is used in addition to duct humidification, protects employees and departing passengers from electrostatic discharges and at the same time makes a valuable contribution to greater well-being and health.

Albrecht Dürer Airport, Nuremberg - Germany

AOE GmbH, Wiesbaden (Germany)

Shortly before the start of the Covid-19 pandemic, the software service provider AOE decided to use additional air humidification. Since then, the company has not only been convinced of the positive effect of optimal air humidity, but also sees health protection as an independent corporate value. Hybrid models of presence and remote work will pose new challenges for AOE in terms of workplace design in the future.

AOE, Wiesbaden - Germany

Thomann GmbH (Call centre), Treppendorf (Germany)

In the call centre of Thomann GmbH, additional air humidification improves the indoor climate for the employees. Fewer voice disorders, less eye strain and higher satisfaction with the air quality are the experiences after two years of practical use.

Thomann GmbH, Burgebrach, Germany

BHS Bad Homburger Servicegesellschaft mbH, Bad Vilbel (Germany)

To keep the employees healthy, Bad Homburger Inkasso and BHS Bad Homburger Servicegesellschaft were looking for possibilities of subsequent air humidification. As an alternative to humidification in the ventilation system, direct room air humidification was able to meet all requirements for hygiene and operational safety.

BHS Bad Homburger Servicegesellschaft, Bad Vilbel - German

Hannover Rück, Hannover (Germany)

Hannover Re is the world's third-largest reinsurer. The IT Service Desk looks after over 3000 employees at the Hanover location on all questions relating to the software and hardware of the workstations.

Hannover Re Germany

Asteelflash Hersfeld GmbH, Bad Hersfeld

Air Humidification in the electronic industry Asteelflash is the second largest electronic manufacturing services provider in Europe. More than 5,000 employees at 18 production sites worldwide work for the group of companies headquartered in France. The facility in Bad Hersfeld produces integrated electronic systems and modules for the automotive industry, among other things. Asteelflash is using direct room air humidification to protect the health of employees and for quality assurance in the assembly of PCBs.

Asteelflash, Bad Hersfeld - Germany

The Chedi Hotel

After its opening in late 2013, The Chedi in Switzerland was named as a 2014 must go to destination by the international press. Together with other projects, it aims to make the small town of Andermatt more attractive than St. Moritz. On top of that, the Chedi exemplifies sustainability in a luxurious way. The hotel's sustainable and luxurious design is reflected in the architecture, building materials as well as its modern utilities.12 Condair hybrid humidifiers are installed to meet the building's air humidity requirements.

The Chedi

Healthy humidity for a Chalet in Riederalp in Switzerland

At the end of his professional career, Swiss architect Joe A. Neidhart from Lucerne fulfilled a long-held dream: he built a 250 mÂ² passive two-family house at an altitude of around 2,000 m in Riederalp in the canton of Valais (Switzerland) with views over the Alps and the Matterhorn, which he has been living in himself for 20 weeks a year ever since. Due to the altitude, with very low winter temperatures and low humidity, Neidhart opted for a sustainable 100% solar thermal house for heating and domestic hot water and for a new, innovative system for controlled indoor air humidification.

Riederalp Chalet

Agbar Tower

Agbar Tower is a 32-story office complex located directly on the famed Plaça de les Glòries Catalanes in Barcelona. Its outer form resembles that of the 30 St Mary Axe office building in London, which was built at around the same time. Agbar Tower's glass facade is intended to represent a water fountain which changes its colors depending on the angle of the light. This is accomplished with 40 different shades of paint that reflect the light in different ways. The effect is reinforced by thousands of glass louvers that are mounted on the outside of the facade to provide sun protection. Based on the position of the sun, they turn to provide the highest possible degree of reflection, and to create natural air circulation inside the building. At night, Agbar Tower is lit by 4,500 LED spotlights in changing colors and can be seen from far away &mdash every bit as clearly as by day. Condair RS steam humidifiers provide optimal humidity levels for visitors to Agbar Tower.

Agbar Tower, Barcelona - Spain

BÃ¡lna, Budapest

The BÃ¡lna (the whale) is a commercial, cultural, and gastronomic center in the heart of Budapest. It connects the city center with the tourist and gastronomic zone on the riverbank. In addition to its avant-garde exterior, the interior design also alludes to the appearance of a whale.

It is predominantly characterized by steel, aluminum, glass, bone-colored concrete, and satin-gray aluminum surfaces. Sunlight streams through the transparent glass roof, sparkling on the highly polished concrete and wooden floors, the terrazzo-patterned stairs, and the chrome steel escalators. Steam humidifiers from Condair ensure a pleasant level of humidity.

Balna Shopping Center

Apple Campus, Cupertino

Cupertino, California, located close to San Francisco, is home to the headquarters of American technology company Apple. The building was designed by British architect Norman Foster, who realized the idea of an oversized ring in connection with the former Apple Campus at Infinite Loop No. 1 in Cupertino.

At a diameter of almost half a kilometre (461 m), the building complex offers a gigantic usable area of 260,000 m2 and space for 12,000 employees. The ring contains a 130,000 m2 park with rest areas, cafés, sports facilities and a rainbow-coloured festival stage, which was inaugurated by Lady Gaga in 2018. Powered entirely by renewable energy,
the building features a 17-megawatt rooftop solar energy system and energy-efficient evaporative cooling from Condair.

Apple Park, Cupertino - USA

se-austria GmbH & Co. KG, Schörfling am Attersee (Austria)

Employee orientation and health protection play a major role for se-austria GmbH & Co. KG. With direct room air humidification, the indoor climate for the employees could be improved without costly renewal of the air conditioning system.

se-austria GmbH & Co. Schörfling am Attersee, Austria

Bloomberg

The European headquarters of the media company Bloomberg in London was designed by the architects Foster + Partners and opened in 2017. The building complex is one million square meters in size and has many details that have been the result of months of research and development, such as a ceiling decorated with petals that provides lighting and cooling, but also acoustic insulation.The building consists of two ten-story blocks connected by a bridge. An arcade of restaurants selected by Bloomberg's restaurant critics runs between them. The building uses 70% less water and 40% less energy than conventional office buildings and was even awarded the Stirling Prize in 2018.Condair ME evaporative humidifiers are maintaining the ideal indoor humidity for the preservation of the wooden interiors and a healthy environment for visitors.

Amy Storm Residence, Chicago

Interior designer Amy¯Storm undertook a year‘long design/build of her own Chicago‘area home, œShelter for the Storms, and chose Condair™s MN flexible humidification system to tackle the dry winter climate. Presented with the challenge of low indoor humidity that causes discomfort and can damage wood furnishings and artwork, she required a system that could integrate with radiant heating and forced‘air cooling while preserving her design vision. The Condair¯MN system uses a mesh‘nebulizer humidification method without traditional ductwork, providing precise control of indoor humidity in the ideal 40‘60% RH range. The result: a home transformed into a sanctuary of comfort and wellness, where art and books are protected, residents feel better, and trust in the ongoing support was affirmed. The installation was tightly coordinated over a nine‘month construction phase, and the system™s performance and seamless integration exceeded expectations.

Columbus Museum of Modern Art, USA

The Columbus Museum of Art needed precise humidity control to protect priceless artworks and ensure visitor comfort. Condair installed its RS steam humidifiers, integrated with the museum™s HVAC system, delivering consistent humidity in the ideal 50¯Â±¯5¯% RH range. The system™s design allows rapid response to seasonal and daily fluctuations, ensuring paintings, sculptures, and historic artifacts are safeguarded against cracking, warping, or other moisture-related damage. Easy to operate and maintain, the RS units provide reliable, energy-efficient performance while blending unobtrusively into the museum™s infrastructure. By maintaining stable indoor humidity, Condair helps preserve the integrity of the collection, supports optimal conditions for visitors, and provides curators with confidence that their environment meets stringent conservation standards.

HELLA

The HELLA Group develops and manufactures lighting, electronic components and systems for the automotive industry.

Hella GmbH & Co. Germany

Baloise Park, Basel

Baloise Park forms an area with three buildings on which the Baloise insurance group is headquartered. The complex offers 1,300 modern office workstations, of which 700 are used for Baloise employeesand the rest are rented out. The tallest building in Baloise Park is the tower in the west, which is one of the tallest buildings in Basel at 89 meters.Part of this tower houses the 5-star Superior Hotel Mövenpick comprising 264 rooms and an exquisite bar with sun terrace.Condair steam humidifiers ensure healthy room air humidity.

BOPLA Gehäuse Systeme, Bünde (Germany)

In-room humidification provides additional electrostatic protection in electronics manufacturing and digital printing at BOPLA.

Quotes from our customers

Chalet Riederalp, Switzerland

Joe A. Neidhart

Architect

At the end of his professional career, Swiss architect Joe A. Neidhart from Lucerne fulfilled a long-held dream: he built a 250 m² passive two-family house at an altitude of around 2,000 m in Riederalp in the canton of Valais (Switzerland) with views over the Alps and the Matterhorn, which he has been living in himself for 20 weeks a year ever since. Due to the altitude, with very low winter temperatures and low humidity, Neidhart opted for a sustainable 100% solar thermal house for heating and domestic hot water and for a new, innovative system for controlled indoor air humidification.

se-austria GmbH & Co. KG, Schörfling am Attersee (Austria)

Andrea Bell

Facility Management

"In this way, we have achieved a twofold advantage for our employees: health is protected and satisfaction at work is increased. This fits perfectly with the pronounced employee orientation at se-austria."

Albrecht Dürer Airport, Nürnberg (Germany)

Thomas Harrer

Head of Building Services

"Not least because of the energy costs, however, we decided in favor of adiabatic direct room air humidification with high-pressure nozzles."

AOE GmbH, Wiesbaden (Germany)

Joern Bock

COO

"With direct room air humidification, we have already set the right course. Especially with the experience from the pandemic, companies should think much more about humidity: Adequate ventilation with more fresh air does not work without additional air humidification. Otherwise, the humidity drops to too low values, which inevitably lead to health problems and complaints."

Hella GmbH & Co. KGaA, Recklinghausen (Germany)

Martin Ennemann

Facility Management

"Air humidification is a stable factor in our quality assurance, both for ESD protection of our production as well as for the satisfaction of our Employees with the indoor climate."

Jungheinrich Service&Parts AG&Co. KG, Kaltenkirchen (Germany)

Jens Ringeling

Group Leader Facility Management

"Our additional in-space humidification is a great fit, as the positive effect is immediately noticeable and has a direct impact on employee satisfaction and health protection."

Laverana GmbH&Co. KG, Hannover (Germany)

Sabine Kästner-Schlemme

Company Spokesperson

"My colleagues are thrilled with how noticeably fresh the indoor climate is now and how it protects health from dried out mucous membranes and respiratory infections."

Musikhaus Thomann GmbH, Treppendorf (Germany)

Florian Rittweger

Sales Management

“Optimal humidity is a must for our instruments and at the same time refreshing and health for our customers and our team.”

Frequently asked questions

What should the humidity level be indoors to protect health?

How does dry air affect the human immune system?

How do mucous membranes in the respiratory tract protect against infections?

How does dry air affect the mucous membranes and the immune system?

Can technical humidification systems protect against respiratory infections?

Get free expert advice

If you want to explore your options for humidity control, Condair's expert sales engineers will visit your site, review your project and talk you through their recommendations.

Alternatively, if you would prefer a call or online meeting, our team are always happy to discuss possible solutions and offer free technical advice.

Healthy voice with optimal humidity

Self-cleaning mucous membranes

The self-cleaning function at different relative humidity levels

Viruses

Viruses are inhaled and stick to the gel layer.

Gel layer

As long as the cilia are able to move freely, the gel layer transports the viruses towards the larynx, where they are swallowed or coughed up.

Saline layer and cilia

The cilia can move freely in the thin sol layer.

Restricted self-cleaning

As humidity decreases, water is extracted from the saline layer, the cilia are pressed down and lose their mobility. Mucus flow is restricted and viruses penetrate.

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